Dexter: Original Sin – Everything we know about the prequel series
ShowtimeSerial killer thriller Dexter is getting a prequel series subtitled ‘Original Sin.’ Here’s everything we know about the show, including plot and cast, plus how it links back to the original.
Dexter launched on Showtime in late 2006, and immediately became a sensation thanks to its twisted subject matter and violent kills that leaned into the horror genre.
Based on the book Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, the show focused on Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a blood spatter expert for the Miami Police Department, who kills those he believes to have escaped justice.
The show ended in 2013, but was belatedly followed by a sequel series titled Dexter: New Blood in 2021. Now, the franchise is going back to where it all began with a new TV show.
Dexter: Original Sin release date
Dexter: Original Sin will premiere on Friday, December 13 on Paramount+.
There will be 10 episodes of Original Sin in total.
Dexter: Original Sin cast
The cast is top-lined by Patrick Gibson as young Dexter Morgan, with support coming from the likes of Patrick Dempsey, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Christian Slater.
What’s more, Michael C. Hall will return to narrate the series as adult Dexter.
First look images of some of the cast were released (via The Hollywood Reporter) on July 18, as you can see below.
Here’s a list of the main cast members, plus who they are playing:
- Patrick Gibson as Dexter Morgan
- Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan (voice)
- Christian Slater as Harry Morgan
- Molly Brown as Deb Morgan
- Patrick Dempsey as Aaron Spencer
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Tanya Martin
- Christina Milian as Maria LaGuerta
- James Martinez as Angel Batista
- Alex Shimizu as Vince Masuka
- Reno Wilson as Bobby Wyatt
What is the prequel about?
The Dexter prequel charts young Dexter Morgan’s transformation into a serial killer who rights the wrongs of the American justice system.
ShowtimeThat transition happens under the tutelage of his homicide detective father Harry, with the show kicking off in 1991, when 20-year-old Dexter starts a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.
The official synopsis describes the city as a “hotbed of real serial killers” at the time, meaning there will be plenty of potential victims to get Dexter going. While we also know that Sarah Michelle Gellar will be playing his boss during the internship.
Is there a trailer?
Yes! The Dexter: Original Sin trailer was released on November 26. You can watch it for yourself below:
One of the main takeaways from the trailer is that it actually confirms a long-running fan theory about the prequel: that it’s a flashback Dexter has while he’s dying (after he was shot at the end of New Blood).
You can also watch the opening credits sequence, which was released in July 2024:
How does it connect to the original series?
The prequel will see Morgan first meeting the characters who are his friends and work colleagues in the original series, meaning there will likely be multiple callbacks (or forward, depending on how you look at it).
Most notably, the show will be narrated by Michael C. Hall, who originated the role of Dexter.
ShowtimeOriginal Sin features younger versions of Maria LaGuerta – establishing herself as the Miami’s first female homicide detective here – as well as Angel Batista and Vince Masuka. That official synopsis also promises “a very formidable teenage Deb.”
But maybe the most important throwback is Clyde Phillips returning as showrunner. Phillips created the original series, and oversaw the first four seasons, which pretty much every Dexter fan agrees were the best…which bodes well for Original Sin.
For more TV previews, check out everything we know about the Harry Potter series or The Bear Season 4. Or click here for TV shows streaming this month and the best shows of 2024 so far.